Classic Live Steam of Yesteryear

A classic live steam "Pacific" designed by Mr. H.J. Coventry, Baltimore MD, in 1931-32

The 3/4" scale "President Washington", as formerly seen in the Miniature Power Products catalog.

Brothers Herb Hild and Joe Hild on their 3/4" scale PRESIDENT WASHINGTON at the NELS track at Danvers, MA in the 1940s.

H.J. Coventry's ORIGINAL (1932) P-7 "President Washington", as seen in MANUAL OF MODEL STEAM LOCOMOTIVE CONSTRUCTION by Martin Evans, 1960.

H.J. Coventry's ORIGINAL 3/4" scale P-7 class 4-6-2 #5300; Built circa 1932 by Mr. Coventry. Shown here "alive and in color" in 2009. Compare this to the photo above.

A 3/4" scale P7 "President" under construction

The prototype P7 #5300 locomotive was built by Baldwin in 1927 for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Twenty locomotives of the class were built, and they were named after the first 20 presidents.

This 3/4" scale live steam locomotive was designed by Mr. Coventry in the early-1930s at the request of several live steamers who had built Mr. Coventry's 1/2" scale version of it (starting in 1928) and who wanted a larger, heavier "live steamer" to build and run. Thus the 3/4" scale P7 "came to be" and debuted in the early 1930s; it was advertised in "The Modelmaker" magazine at that time. It became Mr. Coventry's most popular and well-known design. Many examples were built and are still running today.

The 3/4" scale P7 design was commercially available from Mr. Coventry until sometime in the 1960s. In the 1960s, the P7 design was sold to a new owner. In fact by the 1970s, the 3/4" scale Coventry P7 design had changed ownership no fewer than three times; it was off the market for most if not ALL of that time; and it even traveled from Connecticut to California during these ownership changes. Finally, it was purchased by Miniature Power Products in Ontario Canada in 1979, which put it back on the market and produced castings for it from 1979 until 2010

When "Friends" acquired the design, the first order of business was to replace the missing valve and exhaust coring. Miniature Power Products was not able to get good results in the valve coring, so a plain core for the valve had been substituted. In 2012, Friends had new coring made, brand new, that would allow a cylinder to be cast that would be EXACTLY to Mr. Coventry's original design specifications. With all complex "steps" and passages "cored in", the cylinder will be able to be much-more-easily machined by "amateur" or "hobbyist" machinists, than prior. In fact it can be done on a 10" lathe with faceplate. Please see photos (below) of the new coring for the cylinders. This is old-fashioned American patternmaking at its best; it is the first time since the 1960s that these cylinders will be produced with this specialized coring; and the first time in decades that the cylinders will be "as Mr. Coventry" envisioned & designed them.

Valve and Exhaust Coring for the 3/4" scale P7 President. This coring has not been incorporated into the P7 cylinders for close to 50 years. CNC-machined to Mr. Coventry's original blueprints, January 2012. Beer bottle for size reference.

A closeup view of the coring. This will be used by the foundry to produce the recessed "steps" in the valve bore and the Y-shaped exhaust passages. This will eliminate what has been, until now, a nearly-impossible machining operation for the hobbyist or amateur to accomplish.

April, 2012: The 3/4" scale P7 "President Washington" cylinders are now cast with the "coring" for the steam and exhaust clearances, and the Y-shaped exhaust passages, included. These cylinder castings have not been produced (or available) with this coring for about 50 years.

Another view of the 3/4" scale "P7" cylinder "split" along the centerline of the valve and exhaust coring. This coring makes the P7 cylinder EXACTLY as Mr. Coventry envisioned and designed it; makes a formerly "next to impossible" machining operation substantially easier; and, puts it within the capabilities of most amateur or "hobbyist" machinists. No more complex "step boring" of the valve chamber, or "magic drilling" of the exhaust passages, is required.

The completed P7 "President" cylinders with their covers, as produced by FRIENDS and recently shipped to a customer.

The following is the complete list of castings for the 3/4" scale "President Washington". All are "in the rough" and require machining to blueprint specification (blueprints are available below). Castings are of cast iron, bronze, brass, and aluminum and are from H.J. Coventry's ORIGINAL patterns from the 1930s. Castings may be purchased in "sections", as listed below.

The complete set of approximately 120 castings in iron, bronze, and aluminum from Mr. Coventry's original patterns, are available for purchase in "sections".To purchase by PAYPAL or your credit card, click below. Money orders, personal checks, and "non Paypal" credit cards also accepted. For more information, please contact me.

All sections not listed for purchase below are in development and will be ready in 2014.

Frame Section

Section 1, the frame section, of the 3/4" scale President Washington. All castings made in New Engand USA of bronze and aluminum, from Mr. Coventry's original patterns.

P7 Section 1; Frame Section

$395.00

Trucks Section

The "Trucks" section of the 3/4" scale P7 "President"

Pilot Truck components. Click to enlarge.

Trailing Truck components. Click to enlarge.

Trailing truck mockup. Click to enlarge.

P7 Trucks Section, USA Shipping

$730.00

Front end details up close.....the cylinders, the front deck, the front beam, the pilot (cowcatcher), the coupler and coupler pocket.

The Power Reverse. Powered by live steam from the turret, it actually works! Power Reverse Cylinder, Steam Chest, and Guide are shown.

Two views of a different 3/4" scale HJ Coventry P7 class "President" under construction, this one back in the early 1980s. Top view shows the trailing truck, cradle, and grate. The bottom view is of the chassis as seen from above. Brake cylinder, guide yoke, and motion beam are clearly seen in this rare view. This design has been successfully built by live steamers since the 1930s. The blueprints are complete in every detail, and each part is individually shown.

Herbert Hild runs Joe Hild's 3/4" scale P-7 class PRESIDENT WASHINGTON at Danvers, MA in 1946. Photo by Donald Hills, courtesy Robert Hornsby, used with permission. Castings for this locomotive are available from FRIENDS YANKEE SHOP MODELS.

Henry J. "Harry" Coventry's prototype 3/4" scale, 3-1/2" gauge "President Washington". This is the ACTUAL engine Mr. Coventry built in the early 1930s, seen here alive and "in color" in 2009. DOZENS of Coventry "Presidents" have been built since the 1930s.

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